Chapter 62

Thud- Thud-

“Do you expect me to believe that now?”

Rostia, after hearing that I had regressed and about the events that would unfold, struck my back several times.

“It’s only natural that you wouldn’t believe it. But everything I’ve said is true.”

“The games of the gods, the apostles. And the countless demons hiding among us humans……”

Rostia, pondering over her own words, soon nodded her head.

“It’s not that I don’t understand. Especially about Balthazar. Balthazar was indeed a great and brave warrior before, but suddenly awakening and annihilating the entire mobilized force of a nation is not something that normally happens. But if the trigger was a contract with a god from another world, then it makes sense.”

“Yes. He himself said so directly.”

“But even though all that makes sense, there’s one part that I still can’t understand.”

“What part is that?”

“You. Kairon, your existence is hard to comprehend.”

Rostia, who said I was hard to understand, arbitrarily touched and tapped my body here and there, then added,

“I’ve felt it since the first moment I saw you. That you’re different from an ordinary human.”

“Can you really see that just by looking?”

“Indeed. It’s not just intuition. You know it too, don’t you? Your body is much stronger and tougher than that of an ordinary human.”

“That’s true. Originally, at this time, I was stronger than Abelin but much slower. But now, if I really try, I can move at a speed that’s incomparable to Abelin’s.”

“Hmm……”

Rostia reached out, grabbed my chin, and turned my face around, carefully examining it.

“So you’re saying that after that apostle did something to you, you became like this? You were originally losing your mind, but Abelin’s necklace saved you.”

“Yes. I’d like to take a closer look at that necklace, but as you know, Abelin and I have a bit of an awkward relationship.”

“An awkward relationship?”

Rostia blinked her eyes.

“Who said it’s an awkward relationship?”

“Anyone can see it. Me, Abelin. We have a bit of a difficult relationship. We’ve gotten a bit closer than in our past life while hunting demons together, but we still glare at each other and argue whenever we get the chance.”

“Hmm……”

Rostia tilted her head left and right, as if my words didn’t quite resonate, then casually remarked,

“Ordinary people would call that a marital spat, wouldn’t they?”

“A marital spat……? What nonsense is that! We’re not even lovers, let alone married……”

I hastily cut myself off.

I had told Rostia a lot, but I hadn’t mentioned that Abelin had kissed me and confessed.

“Hmm? What’s with that reaction? There’s something more you’re not telling me. You said you’d tell me everything, so why didn’t you?”

“It’s, it’s not something you really need to know.”

“Your slightly flushed face is telling me you’re hiding a very interesting secret. Won’t you just tell me, you rascal!”

“Ugh…… Who would have thought the great Archmage would be so overly interested in the affairs of the young!”

“What? You brat, how can you say that even after seeing my youthful appearance!”

Rostia then gave me a few more taps, then let out a light sigh and caught her breath.

“Phew, if this is how it’s going to be, I should have talked to you first and then Abelin.”

“Why is that?”

“Why? Because the conversation I had with Abelin was about that necklace. So……”

Rostia gestured lightly towards the outside.

“Bring her here.”

“Abelin? But even at a glance, that necklace is very precious to her and also a big secret. Even if it’s you, Lady Rostia, if she talks about it in front of me……”

“Hurry! It’s very important for dealing with Ronos!”

Rostia cut me off decisively and even pushed my back with her small hand.

Reluctantly, I stepped outside, and what caught my eye was…

“Gasp……”

Abelin, leaning against the inn wall, eyes closed, fast asleep.

For some reason, seeing her quietly asleep with her eyes closed made me feel breathless.

‘Looking like this, she really is a beauty.’

I hadn’t had the chance to look at her face properly before, but Abelin, with her eyes closed, was indeed a high-level beauty.

Even while running and rolling around under the blazing sun with the Vanguard members, her face remained flawless and pure white.

Even though we ate together and shared the same lifestyle, her skin was impossibly perfect. Truly, a child of a wealthy family……

“What are you doing?”

“Huh……?”

When I came to my senses, Abelin had opened her eyes and was staring at me intently.

“Step back a bit. It’s making me uncomfortable.”

“Sorry.”

I realized that without noticing, I had been staring at Abelin’s face up close.

“Did you finish talking with Lady Rostia?”

“Ah, about that……”

“There’s more, isn’t there?”

“This time, she said there’s something to discuss with both of us. Let’s go in together.”

“Alright. After all, when it comes to the final extermination plan, that’s the way to go.”

As Abelin passed by me to enter Riana’s inn, she suddenly stopped and turned to ask,

“But why were you staring at me like that? If you came, why didn’t you say something?”

“Um…… I don’t know. I guess I was just spacing out.”

“Come on, Kairon, get it together. We’re about to face a powerful demon that even the great Archmage Rostia isn’t sure we can defeat.”

“Haha, sorry. But sometimes it takes a bit of a shock to snap out of it. Riana was in that situation, suddenly appearing as a child-like Archmage…… Are you okay?”

“I’m a bit shaken too. Let’s go in.”

As she turned to leave, Abelin turned back once more.

And with a somewhat timid expression, she asked,

“Really, you don’t know? Why you were staring at me so intently without realizing it?”

“Did it make you uncomfortable? If it did, I’m sorry. There are many reasons, but the biggest one is……”

“The biggest one is?”

Abelin’s voice, for some reason, sounded slightly excited.

“Your skin is so white and beautiful.”

“…… It’s been a while since I’ve heard such a nice compliment. You can give compliments like that?”

“What do you mean, ‘you can give compliments like that’? I’m not stingy with compliments! I was just curious, curious. How do you manage to keep your skin so flawless while running and rolling around outside with the Silver Guards? That’s why I was staring.”

“Flawless…… If you’re going to compliment, do it properly, why change it halfway? Typical Kairon.”

“Just when I thought I’d let it slide, you overreact? If you react like that even after being complimented, it makes me suspicious. Are you sitting in the shade drinking expensive chocolate milk while forcing your subordinates to endure harsh training?”

“What are you talking about……! I train with the members too! Besides, the training intensity of the Black Iron Vanguard is much harsher than the Silver Guards! Don’t you know that’s why the Black Iron Vanguard has a high survival rate but few recruits? You’re the one who forces your subordinates to keep going even when they collapse from exhaustion, you tyrant!”

“What? Even if the training is harsh, it’s necessary……!”

“Enough, you two!”

Only after Rostia shouted from outside did Abelin and I stop bickering.

“Kairon, I sent you to bring Abelin, but instead of bringing her, you’re having a marital spat?”

“A marital spat? Lady Rostia, that’s too much.”

“I can’t stand it either. Being called ‘married’ to this kind of man is an unbearable insult!”

“What? Did you just call me ‘this kind of man’? ‘This kind of woman’ is now……!”

“I said enough!”

Unable to take it anymore, Rostia shouted again, shutting us both up.

“If you’ve had your little spat and caught your breath, come in quickly. We have a lot to discuss.”

“Yes, understood. You heard her? Let’s not drag this out with pointless nitpicking, Abelin.”

“If you’re going to compliment, do it properly, who’s the one twisting it into something weird?”

“Hey! What are you doing with an important battle ahead?”

Rostia glared at us with sharp eyes, then suddenly smiled as if she had thought of something.

“If you keep this up, I’ll use powerful magic to bind you together and force you to hold hands until you make up.”

“Sorry. We’ll be quiet.”

“Please spare us, Lady Rostia. Anything but that with Kairon……”

“Hmph, you don’t seem to dislike it as much as you say. Then come in quickly!”

Rostia led the way into the inn.

And following behind, Abelin and I exchanged sharp glances but……

Soon, as comrades who would face the demon together, we walked side by side into the inn.